the end was just the beginning

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I see your true colours

Twelve years ago I could never have imagined the 4.3kg wailing baby I was holding in my arms would one day become a quirky giantess on her way to high school.

She was what they describe as “above the 97th percentile” in the “Blue Book” and she’s stayed that way.

Lots of other things about her have stayed the same way too. She’s always marched to the beat of her own drum, happy for others to join in, but equally comfortable to go it alone.

Watching her dressed in head-to-toe black at a party recently – with her punk hairdo – alongside tweens in pastel crop tops and flippy skirts, I realised how different her drum beat has become over the years.

She loves Doctor Who and animals and books about ancient legends and vampires. Sparkly nail polish, pretty dresses and Taylor Swift are her idea of hell.

Mind you, a fellow school mum informed me at the school band’s Christmas concert last night that she had an awesome time body surfing during the year six surf ed classes over the past two weeks.

A surfing goth … I like it!

I would NEVER get her into something pink these days

Today we’re off to her high school orientation day. Primary school is over, teenage angst is just around the corner.

I wonder how our relationship will weather the storm of hormones that’s to come.

I think we’ll manage pretty well. She’s a good kid who wants to do the right thing.

I’m hoping she enjoys high school more than I did.

I didn’t fit in, couldn’t wait to leave. I swore if I aced the HSC I’d never study again and I haven’t … kinda problematic if I want to retrain at this late stage in life.

She’s a ’round peg’ too, but with a self-possession I never had. So hopefully she’ll wade into the fray and hold her own much better than her mum ever did.

Right now, she wants to be a country vet, so there are many, many years of study ahead for her. I haven’t seen much enthusiasm for school work to date, so it will be interesting to see how THAT goes.

I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of chatting to my grown-up kids. As she approaches high school I see glimmers of how those conversations will unfold. I suspect they’re going to be thoughtful and amazing.